Burnout is real... and getting worse. What to do about it

What exactly is burn out?

The World Health Organization has a great definition. [1]

“Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

• feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
• increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and
• reduced professional efficacy.

Burn-out refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”

That means no work gets done, or vey poor work. It can manifest as physical health symptoms, for example, making employees miss days. And it certainly is a huge cause of turnover.

Low morale spreads like wildfire. If one person is starting to feel the burn, they complain to another, who begins to notice it too. Suddenly, entire departments are feeling overworked and fed up, because they are burnout. They may not have known it before, but now they do. And they are not willing to put up with it any longer.

It’s bad for people. Burnout is bad for business, too.

The WHO also reported 745,194 deaths that could be attributed to burnout. It can also cause heart disease and stroke. [2] Burnout is strongly linked depression, which has a whole slew of physical and emotional symptoms. It can affect relationships, physical health, entire lives.

If you want to take care of your employees, and protect your company, addressing burnout is both a human and business imperative.

Here’s how to look for symptoms, support struggling employees, and keep your work environment safe and productive, before burnout ever strikes.

Signs and Symptoms

Sadly, a lot of workplace environments focus on “getting it done at all costs” and pushing past boundaries that simply not reasonable. It’s encouraged, and sometimes even expected, to show up early, work late, stay ahead, be reachable at all times, and so on.

This behavior is a direct path to burnout. It also makes it harder to notice, since the employee is used to people pleasing and putting on a happy face.

Here’s what you should be looking out for. [3]

“Symptoms may… present as physical, emotional or behavioral.??

Physical symptoms include:?

• Feeling tired?
• Having difficulty sleeping?
• Experiencing a change in appetite?
• Dealing with headaches or muscle pain

Emotional symptoms include:?

• Lacking motivation?
• Experiencing feelings of self-doubt?
• Failure or loneliness?
• An overall feeling of dissatisfaction?

Behavioral symptoms include:?

• Social isolation?
• Not performing your responsibilities?
• Work-related anger outbursts”

This is just an overview. Familiarizing yourself with the signs of depression and other mental health issues can help you identify burnout. Seeking professional help who can guide your organization in determining the wellness and well-being state of your organization is also recommended. And, importantly too, looking into data that shows you the signs of employee burnout is critical.

How to Help Burnout

As with all mental health concerns, there’s no one, sure-fire cure for burnout. It may take one person longer to recharge than another, and everybody needs something different.

There are ways to help, though.

Up to 30% of employees report that more paid time off and less work hours would reduce burnout. [4] So if you’re noticing some pent up stress in your team, the first step would be to tell them to take a day – or two – off work. And, more importantly, you as a team member or leader respecting the boundaries once you give people space to recharge and recover.

Focusing on something other than work also helps. Take the team out to dinner. Or, even better, play a game or go outside.

You should also take the time to notice and encourage burnt out team members. Talk to them about their strengths and what they bring to the company. Often, burnt out employees feel unrecognized. Filling this emotional need can make a huge difference.

Once burnout has actually hit, it’s best to treat it like any other emotional trauma. Give the employee time, support, encouragement, and something to take their mind off things. And if you have the possibility, offer them professional tools to address burnout. You don't have to (and certainly don't need to) know it all, let alone how to professional address burnout. That can burn you out too.

How to Prevent Burnout

Preventing burnout is much easier than “treating” it once it hits. What steps can you take to prevent burnout?

Make your workplace emotionally safe for employees.

When they’re off, let them be off. That means no after work calls, emails, or texts. Whatever it is, it can wait until they clock in.

Take time to check in on team members. Ask how they’re doing, so they don’t have to come to you. Make it clear that if they DO want to come to you, you are open and ready to help.

Encourage conversation among struggling employees. Encourage family members to stop by the office and keep them company.

Recognize and praise employees BEFORE burnout strikes. This has to be a priority for you and all the other people managers in your company.

It’s simple. Treating your employees well is the best way to prevent burnout.

Nearly a quarter of employees say better mental health policies would help prevent burnout. As an HR leader, you have the power to create and implement these policies!

Burnout is not something to ignore. And the COVID pandemic and working from home has made this problem worse, not better.

Take the time to educate yourself so that you can take care of your team.

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1.??????https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases

2.??????https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412021002208

3.??????https://integrisok.com/resources/on-your-health/2021/november/what-are-the-5-stages-of-burnout

4.??????https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/study-finds-76-of-us-employees-are-currently-experiencing-worker-burnout-301191279.html